the true cost of converting non-native pasture to native prairie
DESCRIPTION
By Hehman - SoP Conference Kingsville, TXTRANSCRIPT
The Cost of Restoring Native Vegetation in Areas
Dominated by Exotic Grasses
Mike Hehman - Hixon Ranch
CoauthorsEric Grahmann – TAMUK-CKWRIForrest Smith – TAMUK-CKWRI-STNBlake Martin - TAMUK-CKWRIDr. Tim Fulbright - TAMUK-CKWRIAnna Lund
IntroductionWhat will it cost to convert South Texas
rangelands dominated by exotic grasses back to native rangelands?
Exotic Grass Landscape
IntroductionExotic grass research group (2008)
• Shotgun approach
Cost Assessment
Sandy Loam (Buffelgrass)
Saline Clay Loam (Kleberg Bluestem)
Ranch Plots
Ranch Plots
Pilot Plots
Pilot Plots
Other Plots
Other Plots
Ranch Plots Man Times Spot Hours Sprayed Cost/Ac.Plow/Repeat Disk 65.5 5 $146.90Repeat Spray (Glyphosphate) 24.4 5 $157.22 Plow/Repeat Disk/Seed 12.3 4 $399.23Repeat Spray (Glyphosphate) /Seed 13.66 9 $503.86
Rates:$21.00/hour to run tractor ($4.00/gallon diesel cost)$10/hour labor$18.88/ac. to spray glyphosphate (32 oz./ac.)
Pilot Plots Man Times Spot Hours Sprayed Cost/Ac.Plant forbs and spray Fusilade 6 3 $394.05Repeat Disk/plant natives 11.5 2 $477.21Mow/spray fusilade 3.5 3 $218.05Burn/spray fusilade 2 3 $152.45Plant natives/spot spray (Glyphosphate) 3.5 1 $131.50Disk and Plant natives 120.7 7 $1,219.19
Rates:$21.00/hour to run tractor ($4.00/gallon diesel cost)$10/hour labor$18.88/ac. to spray glyphosphate (32 oz./ac.)$22.56/ac. to spray fusilade (24 oz./ac.)
Native Seed Cost’s
Native Seed Cost
Native mixes in the past year have run $80 - $150 per acre depending on the species requested in the mix
Pipeline and Pad Site Seeding
Drilling Natives
Drilling Cost’s
Hydroseeding Natives
Hydroseeding Cost’sProfile Flex Terra$0.14-0.18/square foot + Seed Cost¼ acre = $1,306.80-$1,906.20
Second Nature$0.035-0.06/square foot+Seed Cost¼ acre = $381.15-$653.40
HydroseedingProfile Flex Tera Second Nature
Mixed Soil ProfilesMulched Drilled
ContributorsHixon Ranch and FamilySouth Texas Natives ProgramRene BarrientosNRCS - E. “Kika” de la Garza Plant
Materials Center Native Plant Society of TexasHarvey Weil Sportsman FoundationArthur Seeligson Conservation FundRyan PetersMeagan Lesak
Questions ?